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ARS Home » Plains Area » El Reno, Oklahoma » Oklahoma and Central Plains Agricultural Research Center » Livestock, Forage and Pasture Management Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #398741
Research Project: Integrated Agroecosystem Research to Enhance Forage and Food Production in the Southern Great Plains

Location: Livestock, Forage and Pasture Management Research Unit

Title: Simple and innovative methods to estimate gross primary production and transpiration of crops: A short review

Author
item CELIS, JORGE - University Of Oklahoma
item XIAO, XIANGMING - University Of Oklahoma
item BASARA, JEFFREY - University Of Oklahoma
item Wagle, Pradeep
item MCCARTHY, HEATHER - University Of Oklahoma

Submitted to: USDA Miscellaneous Publication 1343
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/9/2023
Publication Date: 5/19/2023
Citation: Celis, J., Xiao, X., Basara, J., Wagle, P., and McCarthy, H. 2023. Simple and innovative methods to estimate gross primary production and transpiration of crops: A review. In: Chaudhary, S., Biradar, C.M., Divakaran, S., Raval, M.S. (eds). Digital Ecosystem for Innovation in Agriculture. Studies in Big Data. Vol. 121. Singapore:Springer. p. 125-156. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-0577-5_7.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-0577-5_7

Interpretive Summary: Gross primary production (GPP) and transpiration (T) of crops are the largest carbon and water fluxes in agroecosystems. GPP data products are used to estimate crop yield, an important metric for agricultural resiliency and food security. Over land surfaces, T, a component of evapotranspiration, represents >60% of the precipitated water returned to the atmosphere. Further, T is used as an indicator of water use to improve irrigation in croplands, thereby helping to reduce production costs and support sustainable crop production. This study reviews the state of the science estimates of GPP and T, including in-situ and remote sensing methods, while focusing on the biophysical foundation behind the main available techniques. Given the linkage between GPP and T through the stomas and the photosynthesis process, it is possible to simplify the calculation of both variables by estimating common biophysical parameters (i.e., minimal stomatal conductance) that influence the water particle exchange and the vegetation carbon uptake. This review paper highlights innovative approaches that enhance the calculation of both variables based on their close relationship and reviews the extent and limitations of the algorithms used in some of the most popular satellite products like MOD16 and EcoStress. Furthermore, we explore and discuss the opportunity of using solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) in agriculture.

Technical Abstract: Agricultural sustainable production to support food security is one of the main targets of the 2030 agenda for the global sustainable development goals (SDGs). New technology advancements and sources of information play a critical role in supporting agriculture to achieve the SDGs goals and increase production capabilities to meet the rising food demands. Gross primary production (GPP) and transpiration (T) of crops are the largest carbon and water fluxes in agroecosystems. GPP data products are used to estimate crop yield, an important metric for agricultural resiliency and food security. Over land surfaces, T is the largest component of evapotranspiration and represents >60% of the precipitated water returned to the atmosphere. Further, T is used as an indicator of water use to improve irrigation in croplands, thereby helping to reduce production costs and support sustainable crop production. In this paper, we reviewed the state of the science estimates of GPP and T, including in-situ and remote sensing methods, while focusing on the biophysical foundation behind the main available techniques. Furthermore, given the linkage between GPP and T through the stomas and the photosynthesis process, it is possible to simplify the calculation of both variables by estimating common biophysical parameters (i.e., minimal stomatal conductance) that influence the water particle exchange and the vegetation carbon uptake. This document highlights innovative approaches that enhance the calculation of both variables based on this relationship and reviews the extent and limitations of the algorithms used in some of the most popular satellite products like MOD16 and EcoStress. Furthermore, this document explores and describes the opportunity of using solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) in agriculture. Finally, given the importance of certain variables in agriculture and forest meteorology, this document includes a chapter highlighting the main conversion factors to consider in the energy, carbon balance, and water fluxes.